1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system management technology for electronic apparatuses using a battery composed of a fuel cell that generates electric power using methanol as fuel.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, various types of battery-powered portable electronic apparatuses, such as portable information terminals called personal digital assistants (PDAs) or digital cameras, have been developed and widely used.
In addition, environmental problems have lately attracted considerable attention, and environment-friendly batteries are now being actively developed. One well-known battery of this type is a direct methanol fuel cell (hereinafter, referred to as DMFC).
In the DMFC, methanol supplied as fuel reacts with oxygen, thereby producing electric energy. The DMFC has such a structure wherein an electrolyte is sandwiched between two electrodes composed of porous metal or carbon (e.g., see Hironosuke Ikeda “All about Fuel Cells,” Nihonjitsugyo Publishing Co., Ltd, Aug. 20, 2001, pp. 216-217). Since DMFCs do not generate toxic substances, there is a strong demand that they be used in the above-mentioned electronic apparatus.
In the car industry, a trial of DMFCs has already been made. For example, there has been a system which provides a warning on such a display as a speedometer, when the fuel cell develops trouble, such as a gas leak (e.g., see Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-240535).
Here, consider a case where a fuel cell provided in, for example, a notebook personal computer has developed trouble, such as a gas leak. In this case, use of the method disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-240535 enables the user to be informed that the fuel cell has developed trouble, by providing a warning on the display of the computer body.
In this case, however, the user knows only the development of the trouble and is unaware of the state of the actual fuel cell. Further, When a notice of the state of the fuel cell is given only on the display of the computer body side, this increases the burden on the computer body side.